Finally, Glo, MTN resolve interconnect debt dispute - ITREALMS

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Finally, finally, the pre-disconnection notice between Glo and MTN over interconnection debt dispute has been resolved, reports ITREALMS.

Confirming this development, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) through its Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Reuben Muoka, informed ITREALMS that the commission was pleased to announce that the interconnect debt dispute between MTN Nigeria Communications Plc. (MTN) and Globacom Limited (Globacom) has been amicably resolved.

CBN, NNPC resolve to strengthen relationship, guarantee seamless commercial operation - ITREALMS

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"The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC Ltd) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Banking Relationship"

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Mallam Mele Kyari, have reviewed the decision of the NNPC Ltd. to domicile a significant portion of its revenues and other banking services with the CBN, reports ITREALMS.

Following their meeting in Abuja on Thursday, February 8, 2024, the CBN and NNPC Ltd Chiefs noted the value created by the decision for all parties, especially in providing the NNPC Ltd. with an improved platform for managing its cash holding obligor limits in commercial banks set by the Board of Directors.

National contradictions Tinubu must resolve in 2024 - ITREALMS

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Any Nigerian with rational and open mind knows that complexity of governance in Nigeria today is rooted in the country’s political system, which by any stretch of imagination and logic, is unsuitable for a heterogenous society like Nigeria with over 250 ethnic groups that are characterized by incompatible cultures, varied history, background and interests.

These ethnic groups were hitherto independent nations that ceded their sovereignty to the Nigerian state under Federalism, a political system that took cognizance of their peculiarities and agreed upon by the country’s founding fathers. But ever since this system was subverted and replaced with a Unitary state structure, Nigeria has been embroiled with unending suspicion, distrust, disunity, disharmony, nepotism, hegemony and rivalry among the various ethnic nationalities, indicative of its inappropriateness.

VAT brouhaha: NGF waiting on Supreme Court to resolve dispute - ITREALMS

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The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said that the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) is waiting on the Supreme Court to resolve the brouhaha around the Value Added Tax (VAT) between the Federal Government (FG) and some states in the country, reports ITREALMS.

Disclosing this on Sunday, while fielding questions on THISDAY LIVE, an interview programme on Arise TV monitored in Ado Ekiti and Lagos, he also advocated that the Petroleum Industry Act should be implemented equitably among the nation's federating units.

Togo: Buhari, 5 other leaders demand roadmap to resolve political impasse

ITRealms:

The President, Muhammadu Buhari and five other concerned West African leaders have called for an immediate roadmap to pave the way for negotiations between the Togolese government led by President Faure Gnassingbe Eyadema and the opposition movement, reports ITRealms.

The urgent demand by the leaders came at a meeting to discuss the situation in Togo, which ended early on Thursday in Abidjan, on the sidelines of the African Union-European Union Summit.

The Presidents of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic and Guinea Conakry, attended the meeting with President Eyadema.

Also, the West African leaders asked the parties in Togo to urgently negotiate, without ‘‘any preconditions’’, and resolve the impasse in the interest of the well-being of the country and the region at large.

ITRealms recalled that President Eyadema had given himself a deadline of Friday to provide the basis and framework for negotiations in response to the increasing list of demands put together by the opposition movement seeking to oust him from power after 12 years as President.

His late predecessor and father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, was the President of Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Ojobo reiterates NCC resolve to protect subscribers from unsolicited messages

ITREALMS:

The Nigerian Communications Commission has reiterated its readiness to protect subscribers from the nuisance and irritations of unsolicited text messages and calls from mobile network operators.

Mr. Tony Ojobo, Director, Public Affairs, noted in a statement, that in spite of earlier warnings to telecommunication service providers to activate their Do-Not-Disturb facility which gives subscribers the freedom to choose the messages they receive, the Commission is still inundated with complaints by subscribers of continuing text harassment by operators.

The Direction issued to industry operators to activate the 2442 Do Not Disturb Short Code took effect from July 1, 2016. Ojobo explained that the Direction mandates the operators to take immediate action which will allow the subscribers to take informed but independent decisions on what messages to receive from the networks.

He observed that industry compliance doesn’t seem to have matched the seriousness of the Direction thus, compelling the Commission to issue a final warning to the operators.

According to him, the Direction takes into cognizance the broad range of services, which include: Banking/Insurance/Financial products, Real estate, Education, Health, Consumer Goods and Automobiles, Communication/ Broadcasting/ Entertainment/ IT, Tourism and /Leisure, Sports, Religion (Christianity, Islam, others), and directed the operators to give the necessary instructions and clarifications that will enable subscribers subscribe to a particular service/services/none at all.

In fact, a Full DND which is SMS ‘STOP” to 2442 does not allow the subscriber to receive any unsolicited messages from the operators at all.

Below, he said, are the various options:

“SMS 1” for receiving SMS relating to Banking/Insurance/ Financial Products to 2442

“SMS 2” for receiving SMS relating to Real estate to 2442

SMS 3” for receiving SMS relating to Education to 2442

“SMS 4” for receiving SMS relating to Health to 2442

“SMS 5” for receiving SMS relating to Consumer Goods and Automobiles, to 2442

“SMS 6” for receiving SMS relating to Communication/ Broadcasting/ Entertainment/ IT, to 2442

“SMS 7” for receiving SMS relating to Tourism and Leisure to 2442

“SMS 8” for receiving SMS relating to Sports to 2442

“SMS 9” for receiving SMS relating to Religion to 2442

Ojobo called on the service providers to immediately comply with the Direction as further complaints from the subscribers would be taken as serious infractions to a major regulatory intervention by the Commission.

Pix: Tony Ojobo

Buhari promises sustainable initiatives, inaugurates NEC

ITRealms:

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC) in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, just as he reiterated his administration resolve to enthrone sustainable initiatives, reports ITRealms.

According to the Third Schedule, Part I, Section 153: Sub section (18 & 19) of the Constitution, ITRealms reports that NEC, act as one of the Federal Executive bodies, mandated to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the co-ordination of the economic planning and programmes of the various Governments of the Federation.

Buhari also named his Vice President, Prof. Yomi Osibanjo as the chairman of NEC, adding that NEC meetings have remained the official economic platform for dialogue among the 36 State Governors, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and other co-opted members.

He also noted that NEC chaired by the Vice President deals on issues and challenges facing the development of the country, at national and sub-national levels, and discussed with a view to develop and harmonize common strategies for addressing them.

Buhari pointed out that during his inaugural speech, on May 29, 2015 he stated that the primary objective of this Administration is to tackle insecurity; youth unemployment, through the revival of agriculture, solid minerals mining, as well as small and medium size businesses.

“I also highlighted pervasive corruption; fuel and power shortages; public service reforms; and the need to allow every tier of Government to exercise its constitutional responsibilities, among others. We are fully committed to embarking on sustainable visionary initiatives and programmes that will restructure and transform our national economy.”

His administration, Buhari said is also committed to ensuring collaboration and facilitation of the international efforts to combat threats of cross-border terrorism, sea piracy, refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), financial crimes, cybercrimes, climate change; the spread of communicable diseases and other challenges of the 21st century.

Equally, he urged Nigerians to ensure that the nation surmounts these enormous challenges facing the country by working to support economic policies, which the government will soon unveil to grow the economy and finance external promises.

Consequently, he said, leadership must kick-start this process by cultivating a culture of prudent management of resources at all levels of government. This will entail looking inwards to secure sustainable ways of increasing Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); and harnessing growth potentials of each State to supplement the Federation Account allocation to States. 

“The States are also encouraged to embark on projects that will meet immediate needs of the people taking account of available resources. I therefore urge Council members to consider, as a matter of urgency, exploring efficient means of gradually liquidating all unpaid salaries of staff, which have brought untold hardship to thousands of families,” he said.

All revenue generating agencies such as Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigeria Customs Services (NCS), Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) amongst others shall comply with stipulated Financial Regulations and Administrative Instructions in their remittances into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

 
Chuks Egbuna/GEE
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